The role of Zen is neither to stand above life nor to run away from it, but to face it with a spirit of determination.

Although all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, they function perfectly well.

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.

The art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.

The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind.

The path of practice moves from faith through understanding to direct realization.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

The mind itself is the maker of all happiness and misery; yet beings do not understand this and blame external conditions.

The first step toward faith is to admit that we don't know everything.

A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.

The sign of wisdom is constant joy.

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure.

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

To be attached to a thing means that mind and the thing meet and grow into each other.

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

When dharma fills your body and mind, you realize that something is missing.

In the monastery of your body, the monk of your mind must stay in retreat.

True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion.

Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.

When thoughts arise, recognize them as the display of your own awareness, like recognizing your own children in a crowd.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.

Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.

The ultimate revolution is the spiritual revolution, where we learn to see reality as it truly is.

The time of the past becomes the present, the time of the present becomes the future, the time of the future becomes the present, and the time of the present becomes the past.

The whole path of mindfulness is about letting go. We let go of our attachment to our views, our attachment to our opinions, our attachment to our ideas.